hobson Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I've acquired a spare power lead for our garmin, and as i'm fed up of the wires getting in my way and not making contact over bumpy roads, i'm wanting to use the old adapter to hardwire in. firstly, am i right in thinking that the centre is the live and outside bit is neutral? and secondly, the adapter has a small glass fuse in it, do i need to substitute that for another fuse or will the main lighter socket fuse do? i'm planning on using piggyback spade connecters with the insulated female part, so that it is removeable if needs be. any thoughts and advice please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Whatever you do, DO NOT cut off the cigar lighter plug on the GPS lead, without checking the output voltage!!! They usually contain voltage regulators, normally 12v to 5v dc(anything with a USB plug on it). but other voltages could well be used (3 volts ish). If your plug does have a regulator in it, then you'll either need to get a seperate regulator, or use a female cigar lighter type socket, so you can wire that in out of the way, and then plug the GPS lead in to that. Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 For things like that or mobile phone chargers etc, I just take the cigarette charger end apart, solder the 12v end to a perm or switched feed and mount it somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbarton Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Also I would make sure it's still protected by the correct size of fuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 firstly, am i right in thinking that the centre is the live and outside bit is neutral? On cig lighter plugs/sockets yes, on smaller DC plugs & sockets as found on GPS's, laptops, etc. then it's usually centre +ve but not always, only way to be sure is check with a multimeter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobson Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 Oooh, i'm so glad i asked! i never even thought about a regulator. there's a small moulded box on one end which has a small hole in the side which looks like it has something metallic inside, i've put on a pic of the main bits of the lead. anyone got any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobson Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 Well, it turns out the box is an FM reciever for traffic reports, so i'll not be using that lead, but i do have the old lead which is a much more basic version, it has no boxes or anything and is just a cable with a lighter plug on one end. however, the info on the plug states: input 10-30v 1a max output 5.25-4.9v 1a so there's clearly some kind of regulator then. really i wanted t be able to get rid of the crappy cigarette socket and wire it directly, wonder if theres a way to do it via USB? which i'm sure i can charge it from... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 You can buy in-car USB chargers for a few quid, then you just need a USB lead. It'll still be cig-socket but you can pull it open and have the guts out if you feel the need to make it 100% permanent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobson Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 Ok, so having spent a bit debating my options, i found i needed a 12v to 5v transformer/regulator (thankyou luke!) to do what i originally wanted. i looked at several options from ones which ran from the lighter socket (Essentially doing the same job as the charger) or make up a transformer myself (not hard to do with a bit of soldering skill and some electronic bits. in the end i figured the charger i have must have one built into it, so i took it apart and found this: which is obviousley the transformer, as you may be able to see, the ends which make up the lighter socket plug are marked + and - and soldered with wire. so i'm thinking i can remove the current wire and ends, solder in some longer bits, which i can attach some connecters to, put the whole thing in a small electrical box (available from maplins) and wire it all in properly, completely bypassing the lighter socket. just one question though now: what size fuse do i use to replace the one which was in the charger? which says on it: F1 AL250V but looks very small and the wire in it is very thin.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 just one question though now: what size fuse do i use to replace the one which was in the charger? which says on it: F1 AL250V but looks very small and the wire in it is very thin.... You've already answered that yourself; however, the info on the plug states: input 10-30v 1a max output 5.25-4.9v 1a If you're going to use standard automotive fuses, you'll probably find a 1A fuse will be fine, If not I believe the next available size is 2A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobson Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 D'oh! i meant a replacement blade fuse, but i then realised i can just use an inline fuse holder and the original fuse. i swear i'm getting dafter! thanks for the help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landmannnn Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 What I have done on several vehicles is buy a 4 way socket ` plug on one end of the wire and 4 sockets on the other end. I cut the plug off and hard wire the the socket. I then buried the socket behind the dash somewhere and use the 12v adaptor that came with the device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 What I have done on several vehicles is buy a 4 way socket ` plug on one end of the wire and 4 sockets on the other end. I cut the plug off and hard wire the the socket. I then buried the socket behind the dash somewhere and use the 12v adaptor that came with the device. That's what I have done. The 4 way has a switch on its own plug that I use in the existing socket so I can switch off all the adaptors in one go when I leave the vehicle. All the wiring is then hidden and only the connection pops out the dash where the gadget is mounted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobson Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 It's the cigarette lighter socket thats driving me mad, no matter which sockets and plugs i try they always seem to work intermittently, especially when on uneven ground, and both garmin plugs seem worse than my others (phone/laptop charger) for not connecting properly, and seeing as the satnav gets used more than anything else, and the wire is really long i thought it'd be better to hardwire it in. you'd never get these issues in a newer car would you?! -but thats the fun of landy ownership eh?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landmannnn Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Sounds like it would be a good idea to replace the cig lighter socket! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobson Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 I have, twice! i've tried the garmin chargers in other sockets too, and they're just as bad, my other chargers are fine though.... it was also the length of cable dangling about and getting caught thats annoying me. it'll be much tidier built in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Since we're on the subject, for those who need a different voltage supply you can hack the cheap USB supplies to provide a different voltage: Hack-a-day - switched mode power supplies Normal caveats apply - if you don't understand it then you probably shouldn't be doing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 This is something I'm considering for my 110, a couple of USB sockets in the dash/cubby with a 5V supply for charging USB thingies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 You can get rather nice IP rated USB sockets, if you are worried about them filling up with carp when nothing's plugged in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobson Posted September 3, 2010 Author Share Posted September 3, 2010 Ok, done it! after nipping to the nearest Maplins for a few bits, and spending an hour in the workshop with the soldering iron i have this: as you can see i now have two nice female spade connectors instead of the cigarette plug, the transformer/regulator is inside the box with a hole drilled for ventilation, and the ferrite on the cable (the black blob bit) is a clip on replacement for the original (it took me longer to find out what that was called and it's job than it did to make the thing!!) so the box is now hidden behind the standard stereo mount. after hooking it all up with piggyback spade connectors, everything works, and i now have a lovely short wire sticking out from the back of the stereo area which goes straight into the satnav. i also now have the lighter socket spare for other things, and seeing as the charger only draws one amp, it shouldn't affect anything else i run from it. i am a happy bunny! thanks for all the help everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 Very nice indeed! I've done a similar thing in my Volvo - I have mounted a USB socket in the dash which I use for charging various devices that use USB as a power source. From the details you've given above (5v, 1A) you could use this adapter to charge a phone/ipod etc if you put another connector on the end. I wouldn't charge more than one device at once though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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